The second round of the boys basketball season is underway and the Warriors started with a tally in the win column.
The squad from Kapaa High School defeated Waimea on the road, 54-46, on Wednesday night.
Despite the victory, Kapaa (2-3 overall, 1-0 in second round) head coach John Kaneholani said some drastic changes to the team could be made soon because of a “discipline problem” that arose during a practice session.
“When we got to the gym, I told them to all go home and think about being Warriors for once,” he said. “What they miss is a team concept, the definition of team.
“I told them, ‘Tonight, after this game, you’re going to return all of your uniforms.’ I’m going to pick the team that I think is capable of finishing up the season strong.”
Warriors senior forward Denmark Aladin, who scored 13 points, said he and his teammates were shocked at what their coach said to them.
“I’m pretty speechless,” he said.
“Everyone looked pretty scared, but we just have to prove to coach that we’re a team and we’re better than what he thinks we were in the first round … It was a reality check.”
Kaneholani believes what he said, though extreme, is necessary and saw positive results from it during the game.
He hopes his words will be enough incentive for his team to perform well in the second round.
“They were solemn in the locker room. They were very, very quiet and they came out energized to play,” he said. “They were serious about winning.
“This is the final page. We got to win our way out to get to the championship game. Are we looking past Kauai High School? No. We are going to take one game at a time.”
Waimea (1-4 overall, 0-1 in second round) head coach Chris Acoba said turnovers, among other things, hindered the team’s chances of starting the second round with a win.
“Turnovers. Right back to turnovers again, and defensive transition,” he said. “They’re running back, but they don’t stop the ball. Kapaa just penetrates right through.”
Menehune junior center Bobby Oliver did not play. Before the game, Oliver said he missed practices because he was sick and wasn’t allowed to suit up.
With Oliver not available, Acoba promoted freshman Kelly Ragasa to the varsity team.
“He filled in good,” Acoba said. “He takes care of the ball. He rebounds, makes an effort to block out and he has quick feet … That’s what he brings to us.”
Ragasa had several scoring chances but couldn’t get his shots to fall. He ended the game with two points, which came from free throws in the fourth quarter.
Kapaa also had a new addition to the team in sophomore center Mosese Fafita. Kaneholani said he wasn’t available during the first round because of academic problems.
“He’s a power in the middle. He gets a lot of rebounds,” Kaneholani said of Fafita. “He’s going to be fine, but we got to work on them. We got to teach them to be team players.”
Kapaa will play Kauai (4-0 overall, 0-0 in second round) at home on Saturday.
“We know Kauai High very (well), and we know what we need to work on,” Aladin said. “We got to prove to (coach) this Saturday against Kauai High that we are the better team.”
Waimea will play at Kauai on Tuesday.
Junior varsity:
Kapaa’s junior varsity team defeated Waimea 52-38.
Junard Mata scored 10 points for Kapaa and Waimea’s Reymund Mendoza scored 20.
